WELCOME TO TECHNICAL-TEXTILES.NET, the web's most comprehensive source of information about the world of performance and technical textiles. Full membership gives access to: unique feature articles; relevant, edited and verified news; events and more, to keep you up to date with the latest developments in materials, technologies, processes, patents and research, and business and markets

Fibres, filaments and yarns

Fibre manufacturers actively developing technical products

The content of the 52nd Man-made Fibre Congress held in Dornbirn,  Austria, in September 2013, underlined the commitment of fibre manufacturers to developments for a range of technical end-uses and markets, says  Adrian Wilson.

Read more

Bio-based polyamide staple fibre

1 October 2013
A polyamide (PA) 6.10 staple fibre made substantially from bio-based raw materials has been introduced by the RadiciGroup of Gandino, Italy.
Read more

Biotechnology used to make ultrapure medical textiles

1 September 2013
A German project is investigating the feasibility of making fibres from raw materials derived from microorganisms.
Read more

Dope-dyed viscose fibres use less water and energy

1 September 2013
F.A. Kumpers of Reine, Germany, has developed a range of eco-friendly Skinfil dope-dyed viscose fibres for use in the production of medical plaster and bandage materials.
Read more

Innovation continues to thrive among fibre manufacturers

More than 1250 exhibitors will be present in Frankfurt, Germany, for the latest, and biggest, Techtextil (11–13 June 2013). Editor Nick Butler has surveyed them all to give our readers exclusive advance notice of the most important innovations that will be on display, as well as to gauge the mood of the industry. In this first article, he looks at developments among fibre, filament and yarn manufacturers.

Read more

TissueGen launches biodegradable drug-loaded fibre products

1 May 2013
TissueGen, a developer of biodegradable polymer technology for implantable drug delivery based in Dallas, Texas, USA, has launched Elute biodegradable drug-loaded fibre products, including pharmaceuti
Read more

Artificial spider-silk fibre close to commercial manufacture

1 May 2013
A German company claims to have demonstrated the viability of commercially manufacturing an artificial silk fibre.
Read more

Microfibres for wetlaid nonwovens

1 May 2013
Eastman Chemical Co of Kingsport, Tennessee, USA, launched its latest microfibre (called Cyphrex) at IDEA 2013 International Engineered Fabrics Conference and Expo (Miami, Florida, USA; 22-25 April).
Read more

Incontinence solutions and hydrophobic specialities at IDEA

1 May 2013
At the IDEA 2013 International Engineered Fabrics Conference & Expo held in Miami, Florida, USA, in April 2013, viscose speciality fibres manufacturer Kelheim Fibres of Kelheim, Germany, presented
Read more

Medical applications for man-made spider-silk fibre

1 April 2013
AMSilk has produced Biosteel, described as the world's first competitive man-made spider-silk fibre and made entirely from recombinant silk proteins.
Read more

Surgical clothing made of Smartcel Sensitive fibre supplied in Italy

1 April 2013
Servizi Ospedalieri is now supplying several hospitals in Italy with surgical clothing made from Smartcel Sensitive fibre.
Read more

AGY expands range of sizings for glass

1 April 2013
AGY of Aiken, South Carolina, USA, has expanded its range of sizing systems in order to enable its glass fibres and yarns to be used with a wider variety of polymers.
Read more

Permanently self-cleaning yarns

1 March 2013
A super-hydrophobic filament yarn with a permanent, built-in self-cleaning effect is the result of collaboration between three German organizations.
Read more

Carbon nanotube fibres a step closer to industrial production

1 February 2013
A carbon nanotube (CNT) fibre that looks and acts like textile thread, and conducts electricity and heat like a metal wire is the result of work by a multinational team.
Read more

Traceable particles embedded in multifilament yarns provide a simplemeans of identification

1 December 2012
Any woven structure can now be identified readily by means of the incorporation of Microtaggant Security Yarns, according to the yarn's developer, Microtrace LLC of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Read more

Sewing thread manufacturers rise to the industry’s challenge

Sophisticated sewing threads must be developed to meet the needs of a broad range of applications for technical textiles. Niki Tait looks at how manufacturers are responding to this challenge and describes some of the special threads now available.

Read more

Uniform filaments of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

1 November 2012
A method for making uniform filaments of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with good mechanical properties is revealed by a Chinese company that claims its process is quick and require
Read more

Carbon nonwoven can store hydrogen

1 November 2012
A Japanese company claims to have developed a way to make a carbon-fibre nonwoven that is thin and flexible.
Read more

Industrial-scale process for solvent-spun bamboo

1 November 2012
A Chinese company has proposed a way to make solventspun bamboo fibres that have a high wet modulus.
Read more

Fine polypropylene fibres make good spunbond nonwovens

1 November 2012
A method to produce fine polypropylene (PP) fibres that can be used to make nonwovens with good mechanical properties is disclosed by Total Research & Technology's Feluy Research Center of Seneffe
Read more

Polyester fleece made entirely from recycled bottles

1 October 2012
A company in Norway has begun selling a sports garment based on a fleece that is made from polyester (PES) entirely recycled from plastic bottles collected in its own country.
Read more

Hydrophobic, compostable lyocell for wipes and hygiene products

1 October 2012
A lyocell fibre that was used in its initial trials to help to mop up the spill caused by the disaster on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 has now been introduced for
Read more

Flax fibre closes in on commercialization

1 September 2012
A Canadian company has successfully completed its final pre-production trials for the commercial-scale manufacture of a flax fibre intended for industrial, medical, energy-related, composite and texti
Read more

100% chitosan yarn for biomedical applications

1 August 2012
Researchers in Dresden, Germany, have produced the world's first fibres made from 100% chitosan, according to a report by the Forschungskuratorium Textil (FKT).
Read more

'Low environmental impact' yarn for high-performance medical fabrics

1 August 2012
r-Radyarn, a "low environmental impact" yarn for highperformance fabrics developed by RadiciGroup, could have applications in the medical sector, such as bacteriostatic fabrics, elastic bandages and b
Read more

Energy-efficient method to make microfibrillated cellulose

1 August 2012
A combination of treatments with enzymes and chemicals, combined with mechanical processing makes microfibrillated cellulose in a way that requires less energy than existing techniques, according to t
Read more

High-tenacity, low-creep polyester

1 August 2012
A method for making high-tenacity polyester with low creep is disclosed in US Patent 2012/0165496.
Read more

Fibre developed for long-lasting, deepwater moorings

1 June 2012
DSM of Urmond, The Netherlands, has developed a new version (DM20) of its ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre (Dyneema), specifically for the production of ropes for deepwater moor
Read more

Lenzing and Naturally Advanced Technologies sign development agreement for flax/cellulose blends

1 June 2012
A joint development agreement aims to evaluate the blending of flax with cellulose (modal and lyocell) fibres.
Read more

Expanded range of chopped strand glass for reinforcing thermoplastics

1 May 2012
A specialist manufacturer of reinforcements for thermoset and thermoplastic composites, PPG Industries Fiber Glass Americas of Cheswick, Pennsylvania, USA, has added three more chopped strand glass-fi
Read more

Textiles that contain high amounts of temperature-regulating materials

1 May 2012
A European research project has led to the development of multicomponent and cellulose fibres that contain large amounts of phase-change materials (PCMs) capable of regulating temperature.
Read more

Antimicrobial wound contact layer

1 April 2012
Paul Hartmann has disclosed an antimicrobial wound dressing (30) with a wound contact layer (31) that both absorbs exudate and supports the healing process by releasing an active ingredient.
Read more

Improving the skin with medical compression stockings

1 April 2012
The use of Tencel C in medical compression stockings has been shown to improve skin physiology.
Read more

ConvaTec introduces Aquacel Extra wound dressing in the USA

1 April 2012
ConvaTec has launched Aquacel Extra wound dressing with strengthening fibre in the USA. The dressing is composed of two layers of Hydrofiber Technology stitched together.
Read more

Quick-Med expands Nimbus technology into advanced dressings

1 April 2012
Life sciences company Quick-Med Technologies has amended the license previously granted to India's Viridis BioPharma to include a new antimicrobial polyurethane foam dressing that utilizes Quick-Med's
Read more

Regenerated cellulose to provide superior thermal insulation

1 April 2012
Two German partners are investigating how to exploit a key property of functionalized regenerated-cellulose fibres to improve the moisture management of thermally insulating clothing.
Read more

Glass reinforcement for long lightweight rotor-blades

1 April 2012
Composite manufacturers seeking to make long lightweight rotor-blades for high-power wind turbines now have another choice of glass fibre with which to reinforce the matrix.
Read more

Reinforced polyvinyl alcohol is tougher than spider silk and aramid

1 April 2012
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibres made by spinning a solution containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and flakes of graphene oxide are tougher than spider dragline silk and para-aramids, claims an Australia-b
Read more

Fluorescent regenerated cellulose for safety and protection applications

1 March 2012
Fluorescent cellulose fibres for use in reflective safety clothing have been developed by Lenzing AG of Austria.
Read more

Small polyether imide fibres that retain good thermal properties

1 March 2012
An amorphous polyether imide (PEI) fibre with a linear density small enough to make nonwovens and textile fabrics is the subject of European Patent EP 2 412 850.
Read more

Uniform and low linear-density polytrimethylene terephthalate

1 March 2012
A spun-drawn method for making poly(trimethylene arylate) fibres, such as polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), that have low and uniform linear densities is the subject of US Patent 2012/0028528.
Read more

Positive effect recorded for chitosanmodified regenerated cellulose

1 March 2012
Researchers at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf of Hamburg, Germany, have demonstrated that the modification of Tencel lyocell fibre with chitosan has a positive effect on infection.
Read more

Silk-like fibres from Canadian milkweed

1 February 2012
A Canadian project aims to develop cheap silk-like fibres from milkweed, a crop suitable for growth in the province of Quebec.
Read more

Teijin's fine-filament aramid yarn

1 February 2012
A yarn based on fine aramid filaments made its debut at the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) and Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 17-20 January 2012.
Read more

Unique structure of carbon nanofibre gives it novel properties

1 January 2012
Two partners from Japan, have developed a carbon nanofibre that they claim is highly conductive and has an unprecedented structure.
Read more

Hollow polyester with modified cross-section absorbs moisture and provides thermal insulation

1 January 2012
A lightweight polyester fibre with a highly modified cross-section can rapidly absorb moisture, such as sweat, as well as providing bulk, and thermal shielding and insulation, according to its Japanes
Read more

Fulgar explores manufacturing and selling Rhodia's bioactive yarn

1 January 2012
Rhodia Fibras of Santo Andre, Brazil, and Fulgar of Castel Goffredo, Italy, say they are talking about ways to manufacture and sell a textile yarn based on polyamide 6.6 (PA6.6) in Europe.
Read more

Flame-retardant viscose

1 December 2011
A flame-retardant (FR) viscose fibre called Verdi was revealed by Kelheim Fibres of Germany at the recent Man-made Fibers Congress held in Dornbirn, Austria, 14-16 September 2011.
Read more

Zinc oxide additive makes cellulose antimicrobial

1 December 2011
The Hohenstein Institute of Bonnigheim, Germany, has adapted its environmentally friendly cellulose-forming technology called Alceru in order to produce antimicrobial fibres.
Read more

Commercial machinery for the production of nanofibres

1 November 2011
A 1.1-m wide commercial production system that can continuously make nanofibres will be launched at the Filtration 2011 show in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Read more
XXXX